General
Information
Wikipedia
describes Snapchat as “an image messaging and multimedia mobile application.”
Techopedia describes Snapchat as “a mobile app that allows users to send and
receive "self-destructing" photos and videos.” Generally, it is
another messaging service option that combines features other social media
platforms use and adds several of its own unique features.
Photos and videos taken with the app are called “Snaps”.
The app allows the user to draw and insert text. The messages have a “Filters”
similar to Instagram that enables changes to be made to the appearance of the
message. The “Story” allows friends of the user to view a message for 24 hours.
The app can also send text only messages without the use of a picture. The “Lens”
feature applies an animated change to the message, such as, making the face in
the picture be a taco. The most unique features of Snapchat are its “Geofilter”
and self deleting of messages. Geofilters enable the user to share where they
are and shows what places and services are around them. The self deletion feature
is mandatory. The user determines how many seconds before the message deletes
itself from the Snapchat server and the recipient’s device, somewhere between
1-10 seconds. So, messages can only be viewed once.
What is Snapchat? Explained
Purpose
The purpose of
Snapchat is to elicit a sense of urgency for the recipient of a message and
give the sender control over how long recipient can keep the message. Urban Dictionary
made the point Snapchat is commonly used to send inappropriate or explicit text
messages and images while eliminating the risk of the sender that the receiver of
the message will use it in a way the sender did not intend. I also shared Urban
Dictionary’s assessment what this platform enables users to do with it.
Use in
Business
Firms can use
Snapchat in marketing to increase brand, product or service awareness by the
consumer. Lindsay Kolowich describes how this can be accomplished in several
ways: send coupons or discount codes, give a behind the scenes look at a new
product, announce contests, introduce new employees, show a sneak peek of the
brand in action, launch a new product, document events, and leverage social influences.
I would also include awareness can be increased using
direct advertising through ads on Snapchat. Snapchat promotes their ad service
this way: “Ads on Snapchat come in many shapes and sizes to fit your goals, but
they all have one thing in common: at Snapchat, the same team that designs our
consumer products creates our advertising products, delivering incredible
results for advertisers. So, what’s your story?” Snapchat also promotes firms
use the sponsored Geofilter and lenses. According to Snapchat Geofilter reaches
40% to 60% of daily users.
On any given day, Snapchat
reaches 41% of all 18 to 34 year-olds in the United States.
Among all cell phone users 26%
aged 18-29, 5% aged 30-49, 3% aged 50-64, and 2% of those 65 and older report
using Snapchat. Snapchat usage is different between those with less than $30k
annual income at 12% compared to those with greater than 30k annual income at
5-9%. There is no disparity in the
use of Snapchat between genders, whites and African-Americans, and educational
level. The total usage is 100 million people using Snapchat and watching
over 10 billion videos everyday, which is a 350% increase from last year’s
usage.
The initial
public opinion of Snapchat only being used by teens to send inappropriate messages
is still present but slowly becoming less of the general view. The demographic
usage highly favors the 18 to 29 age range and should be a significant
consideration for a business when determining what content to post via
Snapchat. Unfortunately, I was not able to find any data on the usage by users from
12 to 18, but my opinion is the usage rate would be around 20% to 30%.
Overall, my assessment of Snapchat’s use in business is
similar to most other social media platforms I have assessed in prior blog
posts. Its effectiveness cannot be quantifiably measured, to my knowledge,
therefore firms should be cautious when expecting significant results. It can,
presumably, be useful as part of a comprehensive marketing strategy using all
forms of advertising including other social media platforms with the content
appealing to the 18 to 29 age range. It is necessary for firms to use Snapchat in
today’s climate is to reach consumers through the medium they want to be
reached through and keep pace with competitors.
My Experience
Not owning a smart phone or tablet made creating my own
Instagram account impossible. I once again “borrowed” my girlfriend’s smart
phone and temporarily claimed her Snapchat account as my own. Overall, I really
disliked using it. Of all the social media platforms I have examined, Snapchat
was the least enjoyable. The platform shares too many features with other
social media platforms that I would prefer to use. The deletion feature was
annoying because I could not go back and review messages sent and received, I
did have the sense of urgency when opening a message but that feeling made me
anxious and was not enjoyable, and the content sent via this platform was the
same as I would receive through any other platform. I had expected the message
content to be at a higher level of ridiculousness, but that was not the case.
References
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